Melissa Williams Free (10C), Leroy “Lee” Hite (08C) and Shilpa Iyer Krishnan (98C) have been tapped for service on the Berry College Board of Visitors.
Free serves as Northwest Georgia region executive for Georgia Power, overseeing external affairs, driving customer satisfaction and managing financial investments across 13 counties. The dynamic, people-focused leader is known for her ability to connect individuals and ideas, lead change, and deliver results in complex environments. She lends her expertise to several boards – including the Georgia Department of Driver Services, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and Floyd County Schools College & Career Academy – and volunteers regularly with organizations such as YMCA, Rome Rotary and the American Heart Association. She and husband Jake live with their two children on a farm in Calhoun.
Hite made his mark as founder of Cutting Edge Firewood, successfully pioneering the luxury firewood category and scaling the business nationally while earning coverage by the likes of the Today Show. Exiting that business in 2024, the two-time “40 Under 40” honoree and winner of the Berry Alumni Council’s 2024 Entrepreneurial Spirit Award continues building innovative consumer brands and has been featured in Berry and numerous business publications. He and wife Makaila live in the Atlanta area with their four daughters.
Krishnan is a director at Avanade, a joint venture of Accenture and Microsoft, tasked with leading strategic partnerships nationally in the industrial and professional services sectors. The Berry Dance Troupe alum also serves as artistic director at Nrityalaya School of Bharatanatyam, teaching and choreographing classical Indian dance. The former Berry international student holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida International University and volunteers at her local temple. She and husband Venkatram live in Davie, Florida, and are parents of two recent college graduates.
